Kyle Douglas had four RBI in the Yotes 13-12 loss to Vanguard
RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Tyson Leighton lined a walk-off RBI single over a drawn-in outfield in the bottom of the 11th inning, lifting Vanguard University to a come-from-behind 13-12 victory over The College of Idaho in an elimination game at the 2010 NAIA Baseball National Tournament Group 2 site at Totman Stadium.
The Lions (34-19) move on to play Madonna in an elimination game tomorrow morning, while the No. 15 Coyotes saw their season come to a close.
The Yotes (38-16) trailed 9-8 in the eighth inning, but Diego Robles smashed a tape-measure three-run homer to left field, giving The C of I a 11-9 lead. Gavin Gamboa added an RBI single to push the margin to 12-9. Trailing 12-10 in the bottom of the ninth, the Lions strung together three-straight two-out hits – including an RBI double from Eric Krzysiak, an infield single from Brandon Young, and a Leighton RBI single to right to tie the game. Zach Leighton would then launch a ball to left, with Kyle Douglas robbing him of a game-winning homer by climbing the fence to make the catch.
In the 11th, Brandon Pisante walked, with pinch hitter Mario Romero reaching on a Coyote error on a sacrifice bunt attempt. Krzysiak walked to load the bases, and after a fielders’ choice, Leighton lined a ball over right fielder Tyler Andazola’s head for the winner.
The C of I jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, keyed by a two-run homer by Douglas, but VU added a two-run shot by Young in the bottom of the frame to get within a run. An RBI single by Jordan Lanman and a pair of sacrifice flies in the second pushed the lead to 6-2, before the Lions scored five times in the bottom of the inning to take a 7-6 lead.
The two teams combined for 25 runs and 37 hits in the nearly three hour and 30 minute marathon – the first extra inning loss by the Yotes this season.
Lanman went 4-for-7 with three runs scored, with Douglas going 3-for-5 with four RBI. Robles went 3-for-5 with four RBI, while Gavin Gamboa added three hits.
Tyson Leighton went 4-for-6 with a homer and three RBI, with Young going 3-for-7 with three RBI in the win. Jake Domingos went 4-for-6 with a homer for VU.
The loss for the Coyotes ended the collegiate career of five C of I seniors – Jared Arehart, Ben Rodwell, Ben Rosen, Ray Santiago, and Robles.